You are here

The pressure for schools to improve student
test scores is so intense that some are abandoning the childhood treasure
of "recess" in lieu of more on-task time. Education World asked educators
about recess practices at their schools and the importance of free time
for kids to be kids. What might their responses tell you about the importance
of recess at your school? Included: Tips for a safe
and productive recess period.

"I believe quite strongly that there is great value in play. Play is
learning lessons that often can't be learned anyplace else. I believe
that taking away time to play will not raise test scores. It seems
that with all the rush to pass standardized tests, children have less
and less time to play and enjoy it," teacher Marlie Griffin tells Education
World. In Griffin's school, Kent Prairie Elementary in Arlington, Washington,
a developmental approach to recess was put into place to give students
structure and help them to play constructively. The goal was to give the
students some skills in play that they seemed to lack. "We had problems
with kids who didn't know how to play with one another and kids who got
hurt because they are impulsive and sometimes don't act responsibly,"
Griffin tells Education World. "We worked on this last year. We made recess
fun. Recess had a clublike atmosphere, and the kids really seemed to enjoy
it. The developmental approach worked fairly well for children who have
trouble in less-structured situations and those with inadequate social
skills." Kent Prairie provides three recesses per day in kindergarten
through second grade. Third- through fifth-grade classes have two. Para-educators
supervise the recesses, which are held on two playgrounds. Older students
and younger students may mingle during the recess periods.

RECESS IN THE MIDDLE GRADES

Tips for a Successful Recess

Susan Meyer offers tips to help ensure a safe and productive
recess period in the middle grades.

*To avoid injuries, establish specific rules and make students
aware of the levels of play allowed.
*Invite parents to help supervise the recess period.
*Cut back any bushes or shrubs on school property.
*Restrict the play area to observable places.
*Keep administrators moving so kids never know where they
will turn up next.
*Secure paid teacher help if it is possible.

According to Susan Meyer, principal of Meads Mill Middle School, older students
also need time for relaxation and "play." "Middle school kids need to have
unwinding and reflecting time just as adults do," Meyer tells Education
World. "They can and do discuss stuff that went on in class too!" Sixth-,
seventh-, and eighth-grade students at Meyer's Northville, Michigan, school
enjoy a recess as part of their lunch period. The students have separate
lunch periods, according to grade level, followed by a 20-minute break for
recess. Recess takes place in the gym or outside, explains Meyer. "Students
can use foosball machines, play Ping-Pong, sit and talk, or play basketball
in the gym. They may play volleyball and tether ball. Outside, we allow
them to play basketball, soccer, wall ball, or football. They may run or
relax and chat -- whatever -- as long as the game is safe and they are in
sight of the monitor." During recess, free use of the restrooms and a pay
phone is permitted -- as long as the privilege isn't abused. Students may
also see teachers, use the library and computers, do make-up work, attend
study sessions, and enjoy "lunch bunch" groups with staff. The principal
and the assistant principal are responsible for supervising recess. They
have help from parent volunteers through a program run by the school PTSA.
Parents at Lunch (PAL) gives the adults a chance to network too. "The school
is the students' domain. Parents are always welcome, but many don't know
how to become involved in the school. This is a great way to meet both the
students' needs and the parents'," Meyer states. Meyer has several reasons
for suggesting that middle school students need a recess.

Middle school kids are learning to socialize as adolescents. They
need to try out various roles, and school is a safe environment.

They need to control their unstructured time to use it well.

They are growing at different rates and are at various levels of development
physically, mentally, and emotionally. They need to be able to try out
their skills and their muscles and use their energy.

The students get to relate to administrators in informal settings.
Says Meyer, "It is amazing what I can find out about a kid [during recess
time], or I can connect with kids I wouldn't ordinarily see. Lots of
teaching goes on during this time, and I learn too!"

RECESS REACHES HIGH SCHOOL

"Many students enjoy sitting back on the bleachers or outside, just relaxing
for a few minutes," says teaching assistant Brigid Heckman. "This world
is so hurried up, go, go, go all the time, that we need to teach our children
to stop and take time to smell the roses, even in the structured environment
that school offers." Heckman remembers what spurred her to work with a
superintendent last year and organize a program of community volunteers
to assist with giving students a recess. With one aide watching the entire
group of students, all the children had to stay in their seats in the
lunchroom until the teachers arrived to retrieve their classes. The cafeteria
of Greenwood Central School in Greenwood, New York, was so noisy that
students were not able to eat comfortably. "I coordinated the volunteers,"
explains Heckman. "At the end of the school year last year, we could get
volunteers probably three out of the five lunch days for recess. We generally
had two volunteers per recess session." The school no longer needs volunteers
because the staff has found ways to make more-efficient use of the teacher
aides' time. Now every class has a 15-minute recess after lunch, even
high school students. "Everyone needs unstructured time during the course
of a day -- even in school! For children, recess is important; it helps
kids develop social and physical skills, if in a supervised environment,"
says Heckman. "Recess helps kids blow off steam and take a breather. Educators
need to know that high test scores are important, but so is a small amount
of unstructured playtime, especially to a 7-year-old!"